2021 Ram 1500 vs Chevrolet Silverado 1500
It’s commonly agreed upon that the 2021 Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 are two of the most powerful pickup trucks on the market today. However, in a head-to-head battle, which comes out on top? The Dick Huvaere’s Richmond Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram team has put together this comparison to show our Richmond, New Baltimore, and Detroit customers just that.
2021 Ram 1500 vs Chevrolet Silverado 1500: Performance
Muscle seems to be an essential ingredient in each of these trucks. And while both offer standard V6 powertrains, beefy V8 engines are available in the base trims as well.
The 2021 Ram 1500 has an available 5.7L V8 HEMI® with variable valve timing. Thanks to this enhancement, it has no problem generating 395 HP and 410 lb-ft of torque.
Things are cut down a little bit on the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, on the other hand. Its available 5.3L EcoTec 3 V8 is a bit smaller than the competitor’s. It’s likely for this reason that power is reduced to 355 HP and 383 lb-ft of torque.
The Chevrolet Silverado also lacks some of the engine-moderating features found in the Ram 1500. The Ram’s available next-generation engine cooler and auxiliary transmission oil cooler both help to keep things running smoothly.
Read our complete car review of the Ram 1500 and find out more about this high-performance truck.
Ram 1500 vs Silverado: Towing Capacity
Since the 2021 Ram 1500 has an extra beefy engine, it should come as no surprise that it manages to secure some excellent towing capabilities, too. In this truck, your towing capacity maxes out at 12,750 pounds.
Of course, the Ram 1500 comes with plenty of different towing features to help it maintain this capacity. The class IV receiver hitch, electronic stability control, and the 7-pin wiring harness are all standard in this vehicle.
To get all these different towing features in the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, you’d have to upgrade to a costlier towing package. Without this package, your standard towing capacity is reduced to 10,000 pounds.
Pickup Truck Interior Features
If there’s one area where these two trucks seem to have a fair amount in common, it would be the interior. They both tend to offer similar amenities and entertainment arrays.
In the Ram 1500, you’ll have Uconnect® with integrated voice commands and a touchscreen audio display. Meanwhile, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 offers the similar Chevrolet MyLink® suite.
In spite of these similarities, the Ram 1500 may have the more functional interior. It offers easy-to-clean vinyl seating options and hidden, behind-the-seat storage compartments for stowing additional gear and tools.
Ram vs Chevy: Do More with Your Truck Bed
Are you ready to put that truck bed to work? The 2021 Ram 1500 and Chevy Silverado 1500 have some features that may help: They both sport an available multifunction tailgate for versatile cargo carrying.
However, only the Ram 1500’s features 60/40 split swing-away doors. They swing open to the sides 88°, so you can easily load and unload your cargo without reaching over a traditional (“swing-down”) tailgate. Best of all, it’s designed to be unobstructed by most trailers. Even with a boat or camper hitched up, you can access your cargo with ease.
When that’s what the job requires, the Ram tailgate works like a traditional tailgate, too. Swing it down and support up to 2,000 pounds on the open tailgate! The Chevy Silverado tailgate functions in this manner as well.
You can enhance the utility of your Ram 1500 truck bed with the available RamBox® Cargo Management System. It offers versatile storage bins that run along the outside of both sides of the bed. Not only are they weatherproof and lockable to keep your belongings safe, but they are also illuminated so you can easily find what you need.
And they’re drainable, too, so they’ll work as ice chests at your next tailgate party! Unfortunately, the Chevy Silverado 1500 lacks a feature similar to the Ram 1500’s RamBox® Cargo Management System.
A Fresh Off-Road Fiend: Ram 1500 TRX
As the pavement turns to dusty trail, the Ram and Chevrolet pickup trucks can handle the challenge. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has long offered off-road-ready trims like the Custom Trail Boss and LT Trail Boss. Available automatic rear locking differentials and mud-terrain tires make the Silverado a beast on the trails.
However, Ram returns to lead the pack with the Ram 1500 TRX, an all-new model for 2021. The off-road fiend is powered by a supercharged 6.2L HEMI® V8 engine. With a mind-blowing 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque on tap, it overpowers every engine available in the Chevy Silverado 1500. Yes, the TRX is the most powerful production street-legal half-ton pickup ever built!
The Ram 1500 TRX makes the jump from 0 to 60 MPH in as little as 4.5 seconds. This is the first Ram truck to be equipped with Launch Control with Launch Assist—yet another feature you won’t find on the Chevy pickup truck. It regulates engine RPM and monitors wheel slip feedback, so you experience the fastest possible acceleration rate!
Out on the trails, the Ram 1500 TRX outpaces the Silverado 1500 with so many off-road features and capabilities:
- Eight performance-tuned drive modes
- Bilstein® Black Hawk® e2 shock system
- 11.8 inches of ground clearance
The Bilstein® Black Hawk® e2 shock system is the most sophisticated one offered on a production truck. And you’ll only find it here on the Ram 1500 TRX!
Finding the Right Pickup Truck for Your Needs
The Richmond, New Baltimore, and Detroit areas all have their fair share of highways and rugged side streets. To navigate them all, you’re going to need an equally tough truck.
The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a respectable option. However, it doesn’t seem like it fares as well as the impressive 2021 Ram 1500.
To learn more about the Ram 1500, contact the Dick Huvaere’s Richmond Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram team today.
